Carlsbad desal plant changes win approval

A proposed ocean-water desalination plant won approval Wednesday from city planners to alter its plant design and pipeline route.

The Carlsbad Planning Commission voted 6-0, with Martin Montgomery absent, to allow the developer to reconfigure and consolidate the desalination plant on the grounds of the Encina Power Station, on Carlsbad Boulevard south of Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

The commission also voted 6-0 to allow the developer, Poseidon Resources, to reduce the delivery pipeline system to 16 miles, from 17, and add a spur that will link it with the San Diego County Water Authority's aqueduct in San Marcos.

Representatives of two environmental groups, San Diego Coastkeeper and the California Environmental Rights Foundation, opposed the changes, saying the city should have reopened the environmental review process to evaluate them. That could delay plant construction.

Poseidon has secured all the permits necessary to build the plant, and plans to produce 50 million gallons of desalinated ocean water a day when it begins operating in 2012.

Planning commissioners agreed with city planning staff that the changes didn't introduce new environmental problems, so it wasn't necessary to reopen the environmental review process.

The environmental groups said they'll appeal the decision to the Carlsbad City Council.